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Authors and Illustrators
From A -Z
From Austria to Zanzibar these stories will be told to children through the work of young authors!
This is no exaggeration, Marlies from Austria (Westmer High School, Joy, IL) and Aisha from Zanzibar (Davenport Central High School, Davenport, IA) are both young authors for A BOOK by ME.
Book by Marlies from Austria
Book by Aisha from Zanzibar
Deb Bowen has worked with high school youth exchange for many years. This has given her access to students from all over the world.
Deb considers the exchange programs to be a step in the right direction toward world peace. The concept of youth exchange was born after WWII in an effort to encourage young people around the world.
Many of the exchange students have been involved in Holocaust book projects. Here are their stories:
Barbara from Germany
German exchange students help with Holocaust Education in the Quad Cities. Barbara (left) wrote a children's book about her hero Irena Sendler - a Righteous Gentile. She felt this effort gives her support saying "Never Again". Barbara shared she was frequently called a Nazi as a child and even during her teen years. Although sure it was meant as a joke, it has caused much pain in her life. She has dealt with the shame and is encouraged to be part of the solution. Becoming a young author and telling an important story did just that!
Roberta (right) played a lead role in the play * And Then They Came For Me - Remembering the World of Anne Frank at her school. Roberta was honored to accompany Eva lighting a candle at Holocaust Remembrance in 2007. *Learn more about this play and using it at your school at www.evaschloss.com
Sergui from Romania
Sergui's book about Eva Schloss, step daughter to Otto Frank. This book is beautifully illustrated by an exchange student from Vietnam.
Sergui wrote a children's book about Eva Schloss (whose mother married Otto Frank after the war) and Barbara wrote one about Righteous Gentile Irena Sendler.
Photo: Author Sergui from Romania, Ida Kramer (Quad Cities Holocaust Expert)
and Author Barbara from Germany.
Alyha and Ahmed
Dr. Lisa Killinger from the Quad Cities Muslim community brought it to Deb's attention Muslim families who protected Jews during World War II. After researching, Deb found a website that tells many stories of such rescues. Young authors Ahmed of Yemen and Alya of Oman used their talents to write and illustrate a children's book about these wonderful Muslim families who are heroes. www.eyecontactfoundation.org
Alya from Oman (left) with her hero Bajram from Albania whose father hid Jewish families and Ahmed from Yemen with his hero Basri from Kosovo who helped hide Jews during WWII.
Nicola from Italy
Book #26 - Assisi -My Safe Haven
Nicola from Italy spent only five months in the USA as a semester exchange student.
In January 2010 he learned the monks in Assisi, Italy hid Jews from the Nazis. He went home and researched a story so he could write a children's book about an Assisi Jew.
By November 2010, Nicola and Deb Bowen were in Rome together meeting his survivor in person.
Tamara from Israel
Book #51 - In Search of Esther
In Spring 2011, Tamara Awadieh wrote a story of a Righteous Gentile from Poland who happens to be Catholic like herself. This woman saved a little Jewish girl named Esther during the war. When Tamara returns to Israel after her school year in America, the young author will take a copy of her children's storybook, In Search of Esther, and hand deliver to Esther.
Wonderful host families with good family values are always needed!